Here in rural north Norfolk the fields have lots of bouncing, biffing, bonkers hares in them, wonderful creatures that chase around and beat each other up in a mock fight reminiscent of the one between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones Diary, a lot of flailing and not much real damage.
I caught an interesting BBC Radio 4 item called Shock Waves (you can get it online). It is about how artists and writers respond to something as shocking as the pandemic. Interesting to me, because I have found that, while I have had thoughts and ideas where the pandemic features, I have not yet felt ready to form them into a narrative. It seems I am not alone; it's going to take time to process. It also features an author who was well into her pandemic novel when the real one hit and found she had to abandon it. I love hearing creatives talk about process. It also concluded that another reason is that creatives, generally freelance and fiscally abandoned by the Chancellor have been in survival mode and that, dear reader, is stressful, exhausting, and time consuming.
As concentration is apt to be shot to pieces in these Covid times, apart from decluttering your attic, you might like to dip into some short fiction (as you know I am a huge reader of and writer of short stories). So here are some recommendations, 2 short and 2 memoirs.
'Some Days Are Better Than Ours.' by Barbara Byar. Published by Reflex Press.
'Salt Slow' by Julia Armfield. Published by Picador.
'Notes to Self.' by Emilie Pine. Published by Penguin. Memoir/essays with high praise from just about everyone/everywhere including Anne Enright and Book of the Year 2018 Irish Book Awards.
'I Am I Am I Am.' By (one of my favourite authors) Maggie O'Farrell. Published by Tinder Press.
You may not recognise The Reflex Press, this is because they are a small indie publisher and doubtless have a website and online shop, please drop your Amazon habit for a moment and buy direct, it makes a huge difference to the publishers and to writers if you purchase either directly from them or from a small independent bookstore like The Book Hive in Norwich who will post them to you. Similarly, Salt Publishers from Cromer Norfolk, have a great website, wonderful writers, and post books promptly.
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